India’s ₹1,500-a-year FASTag local pass starts on 1 November
People who live near a national highway toll plaza in India can buy a cheaper yearly pass from Sunday, 1 November. The new Concessional Local Pass costs ₹1,500 a year at plazas outside town limits and ₹3,000 a year at plazas inside them, and it is meant for private car owners who cross the same plaza again and again.
India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways announced the pass on 27 October, and the rules were notified a day earlier, on 26 October, as G.S.R. 917(E). To qualify, an owner must live within 20 km of the plaza and hold a valid, working FASTag registered for non-commercial use. The pass works at that one plaza only and cannot be moved to another.
Not everyone who lives nearby will get one. The pass is not offered on roads where toll is charged by distance under a closed system, and it is not issued where a service road or another road is available for the same trip. Taxis, trucks and other commercial vehicles are also left out.
Why it matters
For daily commuters the saving is real. India TV puts the current local monthly pass at ₹360 a month, or ₹4,320 a year, so the new pass would save ₹2,820 a year at the lower rate and ₹1,320 at the higher one. It is also different from the national FASTag annual pass, which costs ₹3,075 for 2026–27 and works at plazas across the country for a year or 200 crossings — the local pass is cheaper but tied to a single plaza.
What happens next
The pass will be sold at eligible toll plazas from 1 November, and through the Rajmargyatra app from 1 December. The government can revise the rates each year, with changes taking effect on 1 April. One gap remains: the notification does not spell out which documents prove the 20 km distance or how plazas will check it, so drivers should check with their plaza or the National Highways Authority of India before applying.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://newsplainly.com/india/toll-plaza-annual-pass/ (NewsPlainly, 27 October 2026)
- https://www.indianpaycalculator.in/govt-news/concessional-local-pass-toll-1500-3000-1-nov (Indian Pay Calculator, 27 October 2026; citing Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, PIB Release ID 2329077)
